Category: Movie Reviews

Well this one was a beautiful surprise. Perhaps the better of the Agatha Christie flicks. From the moment the film begins, you’re transported into a dark twisted world set in the historic Venice. Which in itself perhaps has some dark stories tucked away with the walls of the homes that have stood above water for centuries.

We come to meet our mysterious detective who is brought out of retirement by the ever so quirky Tina Fey. It almost feels like she cons him into going to this gorgeous mansion to be a part of an event to discredit a woman who speaks to the dead, enter Oscar winner, Michele Yeoh. I will say it was disappointing that she was not in this film as long as we all would have wanted to. I was pleased to hear she was finally doing a somewhat thriller/horror film, which is probably why I’m giving this film 4-stars.

While the film does keep your attention throughout its entirety, it does slow down a bit. I will say that the film does surprise you in the end when you find out who the actual killer is. To make it even better there’s an unexpected twist even after we find out who the killer is.

I don’t want to give away too much so head to the theater to catch this flick!

“A Haunting in Venice,” an unsettling supernatural thriller based upon the novel “Hallowe’en Party” by Agatha Christie and directed by and starring Oscar® winner Kenneth Branagh as famed detective Hercule Poirot, will open in theaters nationwide September 15, 2023. With a screenplay by Oscar® nominee Michael Green, “A Haunting in Venice” is produced by Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg, with Louise Killin, James Prichard, and Mark Gordon serving as executive producers. The film features a brilliant acting ensemble portraying a cast of unforgettable characters, including Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, Michelle Yeoh. Set in eerie, post World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve, “A Haunting in Venice” is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

The beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure, “The Little Mermaid” stars singer and actress Halle Bailey (“grown-ish”) as Ariel; Tony Award® winner Daveed Diggs (“Hamilton,” “Snowpiercer”) as the voice of Sebastian; Jacob Tremblay (“Luca,” “Room”) as the voice of Flounder; Awkwafina (“Raya and the Last Dragon”) as the voice of Scuttle; Jonah Hauer-King (“A Dog’s Way Home”) as Prince Eric; Art Malik (“Homeland”) as Sir Grimsby; Noma Dumezweni (“Mary Poppins Returns”) as Queen Selina; with Oscar® winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos”) as King Triton; and two-time Academy Award® nominee Melissa McCarthy (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” “Bridesmaids”) as Ursula. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.

The beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure, “The Little Mermaid” stars singer and actress Halle Bailey (“grown-ish”) as Ariel; Tony Award® winner Daveed Diggs (“Hamilton,” “Snowpiercer”) as the voice of Sebastian; Jacob Tremblay (“Luca,” “Room”) as the voice of Flounder; Awkwafina (“Raya and the Last Dragon”) as the voice of Scuttle; Jonah Hauer-King (“A Dog’s Way Home”) as Prince Eric; Art Malik (“Homeland”) as Sir Grimsby; Noma Dumezweni (“Mary Poppins Returns”) as Queen Selina; with Oscar® winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos”) as King Triton; and two-time Academy Award® nominee Melissa McCarthy (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” “Bridesmaids”) as Ursula. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.

I have the attention span of a two-year old when it comes to movies, so they have to really captivate me within the first 30 minutes for me to be completely invested. Unfortunately, this one fell a bit flat to me. The film could have easily shaved off 30 minutes. I will give credit where it’s due, Halle Bailey was a pleasant surprise in her role as Ariel and had a beautiful voice to compliment the original songs in the film, as for her acting … she did well for her first big role. Now when it comes to Prince Eric… mehhhh. Is all I can say, I didn’t feel like there was really any chemistry between the two and he was not making us all swoon over him. I mean come on, the original version of the film, he’s a cartoon and we were all swooning.

Now the real surprise was Melissa McCarthy, who I will say I am not a huge fan of her, but she slayed the role as Ursula. She really embodied the role of the sea witch and I was totally there for it. Also, who knew she could sing?! I will say her song lacked some soul, which is not really her fault but rather how the song was arranged.

Speaking of song arrangements, my biggest fail for this film was the music. Who arranged these songs and why did we even mess with the arrangements?! Why not perform them the way they were performed in the original. This is what’s wrong with remakes… they want to remake these classic and then mess with the songs and then fail at it.

All in all, the film was not a complete fail, but could have been better. It was beautiful to visually watch. Will it keep the little ones entertained, it depends. If they’re a Little Mermaid fan, I would say yes, if not… just wait for it to come out on Disney+.

Lets be honest, you can’t really go wrong with this flick. Can you really expect this one to suck with all the cast members taking a part in it?

Don’t want to spoil the film, but it’s fantastically full of drama, action, cameos and surprises! One recommendation you must follow through with before seeing this one, is making sure you see the film that took place in Brazil, Fast Five. This film will make much more sense if you know some of the backstory from that film. Another recommendation would be to see the film in the Dolby theater if possible, so it enhances your experience.

To my surprise, the person that shined in this film was Jason Momoa. WOW! Aquaman turned villain, was fantastic, nothing like watching a hot man be a bad boy with psycho tendencies on the loose. This man literally was given the script and probably only read the first paragraph and said… ‘Yea, ok I got it guys’. His mannerisms and his lines were so perfectly meshed together that it seems like he made it all up as he went along.

There are two credit scenes you need to stick around for, one apparently having been shot the week the film was set to be released. Surprise, surprise!

The end of the road begins.

Fast X, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, launches the final chapters of one of cinema’s most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began.

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.

In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.

Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.

Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk) and written by Justin Lin (F9) & Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans), Fast X stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron.

The film also features an extraordinary new cast including Oscar® winner Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue representative from the Agency; Alan Richtson (Reacher) as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who doesn’t hold the same fondness for Dom’s crew as his predecessor, Mr. Nobody; Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) as a Brazilian street racer with a powerful tie to Dom’s past; and legendary Oscar® winner Rita Moreno as Dom and Mia’s Abuelita Toretto.